Victoza Use for Weight Loss

Victoza is the brand name used for liraglutide in Europe. This drug is the first human Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 developed to be taken once per day in order to treat type 2 diabetes. It has only just received its approval for all of the states in the European Union for two uses:

Victoza is a new drug used for treating type 2 diabetes and has been found to promote weight loss in overweight and obese patients.

As a treatment combined with metformin or one of the sulphonylureas among patients who suffer from a lack of glycemic control even after having tried the highest possible dose of metformin or sulphonylurea monotherapies.

As a treatment combined with metformin and one of the sulphonylureas or metformin and one of the thiazolidinediones among patients who suffer from a lack of glycemic control even after having tried the dual therapy.

Clinical studies with Victoza that involved the participation of over 6,500 people suffering from type 2 diabetes demonstrated a notable decrease in blood glucose levels, allowing for weight loss without the a heightened risk of hypoglycemia. For this reason, it is now considered to be a beneficial type 2 diabetes treatment option and helps to further reduce the risks of the condition by allowing for weight loss.

The drug was first launched by Novo Nordisk – the manufacturer – within Germany, the United Kingdom, and Denmark during the summer of 2009, and throughout the second half of 2009 and throughout the year 2010 the drug will continue to be released throughout the rest of the European Union marketplaces.

The drug functions by only stimulating insulin release when the blood’s glucose levels are high enough to warrant its need. Weight loss is a very common side effect of this drug – one that is often considered very desirable, as one of the things that is most recommended to type 2 diabetes sufferers is weight loss in order to reduce the symptoms of their condition. It is believed that Victoza causes this weight loss because it decreases the speed at which gastric emptying occurs, so that the patient feels more satisfied after meals and for a longer period of time. The body naturally breaks down Victoza and does not need renal excretion for elimination.

Though the drug is not considered to be weight loss medication, it does include this side effect among one of the beneficial reactions that can occur when it is used in order to control type 2 diabetes – especially in cases where weight loss is recommended by the prescribing medical professional.

1,863 comments to Victoza Use for Weight Loss

hi, i am 24 year old girl. i am use victoza 24 june 2012. my weight 105 kg after used my wait 99kg. so good .than this time my weight still stop at 99 only, i am so hopless . plz help me. what shuld I do ?

i had the same situation as yours , my weight drop to 101 and stop, i don’t know if you found a solution, i’m despred to know why and what i can do, they recomend me a surgery, but what if it is also failed,
I apperciate a feed back

i am a type 2 diabetic and my dr started me on victoza two months ago and i have lost 37 lbs and my a1c has went from7.6 down to 4.5 which is great and and now i no longer need to use insulin 4 times a day only victoza once a day my bs use to be in 300s but now after eating it doesnt get past 98 i love victoza

Hi. i just started Victoza 1 week ago, Im also on medformen1000mg 2times a day, and lost 8lbs so far. No problems yet, started on a low dose and not hongrey. Hope this wook for me its so hard for me to lose and i work out 3 to 4 days a week God bless to all and good luck Twonette.

I have been diagnosised with pcos 15 years ago. i am on Metformin i take 2000xrmg daily I feel it has lost its potency with me. my blood sugar is up and i have struggled with my weight ever since my diagnosis. I have managed to keep it under 290 but it is a constant struggle. I am strongly considering Victoza i am hoping it will help level everything out and help with weight loss. Please is there anyone else out there like me that has had positive results with this. I would love input thanks

Hello everyone I am just checking in to give an update on my progress. Things are still looking good and I realized that I still need to take the metformin with the victoza to get the maximum results but my numbers still keep coming down.
fasting BS 91 down from 100
A1c 6.4 up from 6.1 but was not taking the metformin
weight 198 down from 208 MY GOAL 170 DOCTORS GOAL 150 TO 160
I am thankful that this is working for me.

Do not get discouraged. Remember that there is no weight loss magic bullet. Blood sugar, reducing calories and regular excercise combined is what it will take to lose the weight and keep it off. If you are sedentary, victoza by itself will not be enough…add additional physical activity to your daily routine, you will see the kilograms come off.

Hello everyone, I wanted to check in and encourage whoever is on Victoza. Victoza is a good help in conjuction with metformin and other diabetic aids but what I am seeing is that as your body adjust to the medicine then you must make some adjustments also. What I mean is change up your routine to keep your energy level up and still continue to eat less. My appetite did come up some but I increased my energy output and the weight loss picked up again. For people like me that have a hard time losing weight I get excited for 1lb of weight lose so I understand the frustration when the weight lose slows down or seems to stop. Stay encouraged and don’t give up because the weight will come off but most importantly make it a life changing event and not just for the moment.

I have been on Victoza for about 3 weeks and have lost 11.5 Lbs so far. The nausea was a little worse at the beginning, but has subsided some. I find I don’t crave food like I was before. My appetite has decreased a great deal. My A1C prior to starting the Victoza was only 5.8, and I take 2000mg of Metformin daily. Due to my weight issue the doctor decided to try this medication. I wish everyone well with this, it can be a good thing as long as it works for you. God bless.

Started Victoza 9-10-12. Now up to full dosage. No Nausea or any side effects. Surprised at the size of the needle. Can’t feel a thing from the injection! YEAH. Down 5.5 lbs in one month. Never hungry. Just eat alittle when I know it’s time to. Need something in stomach to take other medications. Fashing Sugar numbers down from 258 to 153! So far, so good!

I have used victoza for over a month and I don’t really credit my weight loss to the medicine. I started eating a meal a day and drinking protein shakes plus exercising at least 4 times a day. I think it only makes you seem full faster and that’s it. I still crave sugar and carbs and I have to fight against it.After a month, I feel like it’s slowing down.

I work for a medical communications firm. We are doing research on weight loss drugs, specifically Victoza. We’d love to speak to anyone who would be willing to share their story (good or bad) about being on Victoza for weight loss. We are asking to speak to someone who has been on Victoza and is NOT diabetic and is taking Victoza for weight loss ONLY. Please let me know if you are available to speak with me and I’d be happy to schedule a call. It would take no more than an hour. Your insight is extremely valuable and your identity will remain anonymous.

Please reply to this comment if you are willing to speak to us and I will get in contact with you.

Thank you for responding, Gail. I work with Steffy and am scheduling interviews for this week. Do you have any availability to talk Thursday afternoon? Please respond to my email at jaclyn.slovic@mccann.com. We hope to hear from you!

I was on Victoza for weight loss only. I took it 3 months ago and lost 1 lb a day…I could not afford it the last 3 months, since it was not for diabetes. $400 is a lot to pay! I just started it again yesterday. You are welcome to contact me.

Michelle, thank you for responding. I am a co-worker of Steffy and am scheduling interviews for this week. Are you free to talk Thursday afternoon? Please respond by email to jaclyn.slovic@mccann.com. We hope to hear from you!

My husband and I have been on Victoza for a month. Along with diet and exercise He has lost about 25 lbs. No side effects. But, every 2 days I get indigestion so bad I am wanting to vomit. I have lost about 10 lbs. With little exercise. My dosage is per day and my husband is taking 1.8 per day.

I have been on victoza for 18 months I have lost 70lbs. I changed my diet to a healthy diabetic diet and walk on my treadmill 3 times a week for 40min. I reached my goal 11 months ago and am happy to say i did it. a1c 5.9

What you all need to remember, is that diabetes is a disease state that is PROGRESSIVE. Progressive, means that no matter what you do, it may get progressively worse. Of course controlling what you eat, getting your blood sugar and weight under control will prolong this process, and in many cases stop the progression all together. However, for many diabetics, what happens is that your pancreas can no longer function to produce beta cells. The Beta cells are responsible for producing insulin. And when beta cell function decreases, you cannot produce insulin. Remember, insulin is like a key for the cells, unlocking their ability to absorb essential nutrients and blood sugar (or blood glucose). In someone without diabetes, when you eat, it triggers the release of insulin and thus your body unlocks the cells to absorb the nutrients. In somebody with diabetes, when you eat, insulin is not released, and the cells do not absorb the blood sugar/glucose, and thus the body has lots of blood sugar just floating around in the blood never being absorbed. And the cells think they’re starving, so they begin to break down essential fatty acids which are normally stored in the cell. The body breaks down those essential fatty acids and they get into the blood stream and cause problems, including peripheral neuropathy, blindness, and heart disease because of blood flow problems which can lead to amputation.

Metformin is an amazing drug, but once the body stops making insulin all together (i.e., loses beta function in the pancreas), you WILL need to take insulin. It is not that your body is resistant, it is that your disease is progressing. And it’s ok… insulin will help you! Insulin is a natural thing your body produces, so taking a shot of it will mimic what your body normally does.

Remember, insulin is necessary. So don’t feel bad if your body stops making insulin. It is a progression of the disease, and if your diabetes progresses to this level, just take the insulin, get the disease under control, eat right, and feel good about yourself. In today’s day and age, the insulin on the market, like Novolog and Levemir, mimics very closely the endogenous insulin that our bodies would naturally create in non-diabetics. That means there is less chance of hypoglycemia, and fewer side effects.

Hello everyone. I have been on V since Nov. without weight loss. As a matter of fact, I have GAINED!!! What is up with that? I was taking metformin but A1c was creeping back up and the stomach aches and diarrhea were horrible. My dr said on this, I would lose at least 15 lbs, which I could use, but this has not happened. I’m on 1.2. Anybody else out there having the same problem? Something has to give. Oh yeah, I too bruise and look like a speckled pup. And I do move to different injection sites. Any comments would be helpful. Thanks!

When my endocrinologist presribed Victoza, she also suggested a very low carbohydrate regimen along with the Metformin. She told me that as my diabetes progressed, insulin could cause some problems that had been nearly alleviated with Victoza. I have only been on it a week, but have lost 5 lbs. Before going on this I had lost 44 lbs on low carb and had brought my A1c down from 16.5 to 7.0 . When I was badly dehydrated the shots left bruises that didn’t go away for a long time….please tell your doctor about the bruises!!

Hello everyone, just wanted to thank all you guys and gals for posting your stories. Was given victoza for weightloss by my endo. It spent three weeks in my fridge because I was afraid to take it. ( nervous about the side effects and really afraid of needles.) if anyone is holding off taking it for any of those reasons I would like to tell you that although I have only been on it for five days so far I have no side effects and the needle doesn’t hurt! Yay! I weighed myself and loss 5 1/2 pounds I’m sure it’s all water since I can’t stay out of the bathroom. Really not hungry hope it stays this way.

Hi Darris,
Had same fear for a few days but took the plunge yesterday, didn’t sleep well last night and don’t know if it has anything to do with V but I had a light supper last night and at 3:30am woke up hungry. I was told about V by a co-worker who has out of control diabetes yet he has visibly lost weight. I’m not a big exercise person either at present time with kidney stone. I’ll walk and execise bike when the stone is out but that’s about it. Don’t like what I read in the pamplet about thyroid cancer in test rats…got me a little concerned. If I can lose 20 lbs and feel better I guess the risk might be worth it. I did find that at 8am I was in the bathroom a long time probably losing a lot of water weight as well. It’s only day 2, and I took it after dinner last night…do you take it at any particular time of day?

I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 3 yrs ago. I am 71. I have a pump. I saw a new dr. and he discussed Victoza as we have(my endo and myself) been very unsuccessful in lowering my Alc (9.4) and I’ve had several issues of passing out. My BS can go from 44 to400 in a very short period of time. Is usually very high upon arising in the a.m. and up and down due the day. I have no othr health issues. 125lbs as a high weight number, blood pressure 116/60. Just
wonder if Victoza is a possibility to use in conjunction w/Apidra?

I started on Victoza on dec. 5th and lost 9lbs right away, but with completely changing my diet and portion control, and exercise. Gave up just about all alcohol. Now I am not losing at all, have no social life because a fun life revolves around food, alcohol, and great friends. I am getting depressed because on the same diet and my husband has lost weight and continues to lose weight. Just not fair. My A1C was 6.1 before I started and my dr. said I should be on diabetes meds already, but wanted me to try the victoza. I keep teeling her it is my thyroid and want her to increase my thyroid med to rev up my metabolism…she won’t. I am ready to throw in the towel!
I am a gourmet cook and cooking is such a drag now!

I just started Victoza, however I am reading that people are taking this once per day. My Dr. said that I should take this once per week. I am diabetic for the last 12 years. My A1c is 8.1 and my blood sugars are mostly in the 200’s. I am on 0.6 and will go to 1.2. I am 215 lbs and would like to go to 160 lbs at least.

Double check with your doctor or pharmacist. Victoza is advertised by its makers as a once a day injection. I doubt you will see any results at once per week.

My A1c was 8.2 when I started taking Victoza eight weeks ago. I took .6 mg daily for the first week then 1.2 mg daily for the following 7 weeks. I had my A1c done two days ago and it is now 6.4 and I have lost 26 pounds.

I have been on Lantus and have gained almost 30 pounds. This is not good for my diabetes, which is like a roller coaster. I will go to bed at 247 and wake up at 89. During the day, it bounces up and down and if I eat after 7:00 PM, it does not come down fast enough. Will victoza help me to lose some of this weight, which I believe is working against my diabetes symptoms?

Hi ,am 33 years old , am tried of my weight gained tried all kind of diets . But never lost any k so I heard about vactoz that lose weight. Am thinking to use it mainly for the weight loss only I don’t have have diebets but I have Critive Colltis is okay to use it ? Plz plz help Thankx

Hi all, for all of those who are on victoza and are NOT diabetic. Just wondering how you got your doctor to perscribe it for you? Want to know the right things to say. Please let me know. Current weight 200 goal weight 160.

I have been on Victoza since July 2012 and lost over 35 pounds so far. Average 5 pounds and 1 inch loss per month. Went from size 46 to 38 pants. I can actually wear Levis off the rack now. So happy that I that I started to use the Eliptic Machine 30 minutes daily to improved the weight loss. Eating less and not hungry. Oh yeah my 1AC is now 6 and I am trying to improve that number also (but I need to cut out the cola and fruit drinks).

Im 33yrs old. Height 5.2. And started on victoza in around october 2012. The 1st 1-2 weeks I started at 0.6 which I was experience nausea but after that it goes away. My dr increase it to 1.2. It really does kill your appetite and u will have to force yourself to eat to keep ur metabolism going. Ive notice that I went from weighing 347lbs to 319lbs up to today. It would had been more but I slack in December and beginning of jan because I had got a bad fever twice. Usully when I get sick I dont eat anyways. Since I tampered off I had gain back to 335lbs. So I started staying true and started taking my shot everyday since jan. That 335lbs got me to 319lbs. Even if I forget to take my shot for one day I can still feel the effects of the medicine but I be sure to take my shot the next day. Through all of this my sugar readings r great. AC1 is 5.9. If if you’re not seeing the lbs drop u have to remember it is still working for the weight loss in inches. So as we stand right now im at 318lbs and I went from a size 34 to 28 in clothes size.

Due to a diabetic ulcer on my toe, My doctor has decided to put me on Victoza. I am so tired of taking insulan and pills. I am on humalog, metphorman and levimere. If i start taking this do i get rid of any of the other? My last a1c was an 8.9 down from a 10.2 cause i started working out. Doctor says weight has to come off. Any ideas now that I can’t work out because of ulcer?

I have been on victoza for 2 days I have type 2 daibetes, two operations on my thyroid and heart trouble,I have been overweight for forty years I am 4ft 11ins and weigh 12st 6lbs Because of the side effects I was quite concerned about beginning this treatment, however at the moment I have been okay.I have noticed a big difference in my appetite I have no hunger pangs at all,before I think I was on a deathwish as I could eat for England and was forever munching and looking at what to eat next.I was worried about injecting and had hardly any sleep as I was so worried about this tiny needle however, it didnt hurt at all and all my worries were unfounded.I have a good diabetes nurse and have got her tel no if I am worried.I will post again in a few days GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

Hi Everyone, I have type 2 Diabetes, and when I recently went to my Dr’s, I asked if there were any medications that I could take to help with Weight loss. I weighed in at 218lbs. I have started to take Victosa, and in less than a week, I weighed in today at 214.5lbs. I have felt sick for the past two days, a little dizzy, and phoned my Dr. for advise. She said to stop taking it, but I have decided to hang in there, I was injecting Victoza at night, before going to bed, and will try injecting in the morning instead. Any suggestions as to what time of day you all inject the medication?

My Doctor put me on Victoza January 2013, my blood sugar was out of range for about five years, it always ran over 200 and when I ate it would be over 300. I was taking Novolog insulin three times a day,500mg Metformin once a day, and Lantus 85u at night and 45u in the am. Now my blood sugar is 60-90 fasting, and 100-110 after I eat, my Doctor taken mey off the Novolog insulin and Lantus, I only take 500 Metformin and the Victoza; plus I have lost 37 lbs. I would have lost more if I could get more movement in, I got bad knee, back, and hip! but I think God for Victoza!

I started Victoza 12 days ago and I have lost 16 pounds. I have no desire to eat and when I do I only eat about 5-7 bites of food and I feel SO FULL. My sugar level have come down from 198 to 120. I also take Janumet 100/1000 once a day.

Hello All!!!!
My name is Caressa, I am 23 and I have insulin resistance as well as hypertension. I weighed 210 pounds 8 days ago when I started Victozia
I weigh now at 202 Eight Days LATER.
I feel so ecstatic prior to Victozia I was constantly and consistently trying prescription diet pills and eating right and STILL gaining weight.i am considering creating a BLOG so if you have similar TRUE RESULTS email me. No SPAM

Hi, I was prescribed Victoza yesterday, started taking it today. I was reading the old post and saw you were thinking about starting a blog. Did you? If so, I would love to have the blog info so I can visit the blog….thank you.

I have been on Victoza since June 2013 and have lost 21.4 lbs. I was prediabetic and was unable to lose weight for over 6 years. It took me a long time to get under 190 lbs. I started at 206 and am currently at 184.6

It has not been easy for me but I am doing Weight Watchers and Zumba and am finally seeing the scale move faster. I believe that the combination of the 3 is what has helped me to lose weight.

I was diagnosed with diabetes in 1999. I’m 58 years old. My last A1c was 8.4. My fbs were from 140s to 190s. The Janumet and Actos were no longer working. I’ve been on Victoza for almost 3 weeks, first at 0.6 for 2 weeks, now at 1.2. The nausea I’ve been having has been overwhelming, sometimes to the point of vomiting. I started at 209 lbs. and am now down to 200.4 lbs. The weight loss is great and my fbs are now down to 110s…but at what cost?! I used to get on my elliptical machine every other day for an hour. Now, all I want to do is sleep to avoid the nauseous feeling. I know this has got to be wreaking havoc on my metabolism. I have to force myself to eat. I’m probably only consuming around 500 calories a day. One person said it took her 3 months to get over it. I don’t know if I can take it that long. We’ll see.?

This blog seems to have ended on October 2013.I learned a lot from all the posts. I am 78, with my overweight mainly in my belly.I have been a type 2 diabetic since 2001, using 8 mg Glimiperide a day and am mostly under control but my Dr and I agree I need to lose weight. I cannot use Metformin as it causes my glucose count to drop too low. So tonight I will take my first Victoza injection.I did all the research and decided that the damage done by diabetes would kill me faster than Victoza.I have familial diabetes,in that my Mother and her brother, and all 6 of my sibs and I have diabetes 2.Three of them are now on Victoza with varying (good results). I don’t have food issues, drinking issues, or cravings for food or sweets. I walk 1 mile a day every day that I can. I may be the only one posting but I will update my progress.
I thank all those who posted from 2010.They gave me the confidence to give myself an injection for the first time ever, and deal with problems as they occur. I hope all of you are well.

I have now been using Victoza 1 1/2 months and after a week at .6 mg, I graduated myself to 1.2 mg.as my Dr. suggested. I inject at 7 pm evenings. I have had no side effects. My belly seems to be changing and ‘drooping’. My glucose counts are totally normal whereas before Victoza I might go down to 59 or up to 200. Now my morning test shows 100 and evening never more than 140. I do have a bit of heartburn which responds to Cimetidine. My appetite seems to have declined to the point where I eat less than half of what I did before. I have lost less weight than I would like, but my primary objective is to normalize my glucose counts and it seems that I have.
I have gotten used to the injections, using the ‘pinch an inch’ method into my belly fat; it is painless and easy. I will have an A1C test April 25, followed by a consultation with my Dr about my progress. The box of 3 pens are over $450 each and the needles $100 a box for 100. I pay only a low co-pay for 2 boxes of 3 pens each and the needles. So far so good. I hope everyone is well.

A lot of my practice is in T2Dm AND both Novo (VZ) and BI (Byetta) have offered to sponsor some trials . I will probably go with NOVO.Now,let’s talk of weight loss and GLPs The underlying biochemical problem is INSULIN RESISTANCE. This can be diminished imn many ways-exercise,appetite supresants (topomax,phentermine,Benzique (?) a serotonin 5 2 C med and GLPs. Still,the GLPs are expensive-even the needles.So ,for my obese T2Dm patients I . Cinnamon by itself does a fair job of decreasing appetite,blood sugar and weight I use cinnamon 2 gr/day for 2 weeks,then up to 3 grams/day (Note the dose described on the front of the bottle is for 2 capsiles.)
The seminal article on cinnamon and diabetes was in J Clin Nutrition,Dec 2003:Khan and Patel This allows
me to decrease the dose of VZ from 1.8 mg/day to 0.6.So,a pen lasts 30,not 10 days.I also use Bystolic 10 mg/day (This decreases I R also Note the 10 and 20 mg pills cost the same,so break the larger in half for $ savings You’ll start at about 4-6 lbs/week at first and taper down as you lose fat.Also, I encourage my patient to cange needles only if it hurts.They do so about weekly
(My best weight loss success was a morbidly obese /760 plus pound guy.We caused a little over 160 # in 5 months
Best wishes,Corwin

HI ALL.JUST STARTED TAKING VICTOZA 2DAYS AGO.I AM CURRENTLY ON 0.6 MOVING TO A HIGHER DOSE AFTER 1 WEEK.ALSO ON METFORMIN 2000MG SLOW RELEASE.I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING TO LOOSE WEIGHT FOR THE PAST 7 YEAS. HOPE THE COMBINATION OF THESE 2 DRUGS HELPS ME REDUCE WEIGHT.I DO HAVE A FEW SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE VICTOZA (NAUSEA,BELCHING,VOMITTING,HEADACHES,UNABLE TO SLEEP,HUNGRY AT 3AM, COLD SHIVERS AND FEELING OVERRALL A BIT SICK)HOPING ALL THIS WILL IMPROVE.GOOD LUCK 2 EVERY1 OUT THERE USING OR GOING TO START USING VICTOZA.

Hi, I have been on victoza for over a year now. I was diagnosed with being pre-diabetic and I have always had a hard time losing weight. In the beginning I really struggled with terrible nausea just about everyday. I was going to stop taking it, but decided to try a little longer. After a few weeks, the nausea passed and I started feeling much better. I weighed in at 318lbs before and now I am down to 255lbs. My blood sugar is in normal range now also. I also have knee problems and since the weight loss that has also helped with my pain.

I am 49 years old male, I’ve been on Victoza for almost one year, After first 3 months I lost 12 lbs. Unfortunately, from the fourth month onwards, and the next 3 months my weight didn’t go down anymore. Surprisingly, my weight start going down again after 7 months. Till today, I have lost total 32 lbs.

Day 11 on Victoza, and 8 pounds down. I have T2D, was on insulin pre-mealtimes, anywhere from 15-25 units per shot, plus Lantus insulin, 45u overnight. My metabolism was so locked up from all of the insulin that I could not lose weight, even with working out and severe calorie restriction. It was so frustrating. Now, with Victoza, I can only eat one or two very tiny meals per day, and feel stuffed and bloated for hours afterward. I am not nauseated or debilitated in any way, and I already feel lighter and more clear-headed. Fingers crossed. Maybe this will save me. My favorite “meal” these days is a small bowl of cherry tomatoes, olives, and a small slice of mozzarella.

I started Victoza last Friday September 12. I have had minimal side effects, but look forward to my visit in November to see my Dr. My cravings are exceptionally down, and I can see that I have lost a few pounds. Can tell in my clothes. I also exercise 7 days a week and am on a 1400 calorie diet. good luck peeople.

hello i am mano from lebanon
every month i lose 15 kilo and i take 1.2 dose per day my weight was 156 kilo now 111 kilo and i will continue till my weight will be 60 and 55 kilo
n.b:
i eat 3 times healthy food and 2 snacks i stop eating at 6 pm i drink 8 cups of water every day at night idont drink water i exercise 1 hour per day from i start taking victoza i didn’t have i problem with losing hair because my doctor gave me some vitamins to provide this issue
through the cure i stopped caffeine sugar salt all juices drinks and all fried stuff